Nevada City, CA – American Rivers, Terra Fuego Resource Foundation, and the Yuba Watershed Institute are partnering to host a community meeting on October 28, 2024, at the Odd Fellows Hall in Nevada City. The event will provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about the Hoyt Purdon Fuel Reduction and Prescribed Fire Project and the Round Mountain Landscape Resilience Project. These projects focus on reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires and improving the resilience of local ecosystems through strategic forest thinning and prescribed burns.

The Hoyt Purdon project spans 570 acres along the South Yuba River, while the Round Mountain project covers over 1,000 acres north of Nevada City. Together, these efforts aim to safeguard water resources, protect wildlife habitats, and improve community safety by reducing wildfire hazards.

The meeting aims to inform the community about the Hoyt Purdon and Round Mountain projects, notify residents of potential smoke impacts from prescribed burns, share draft treatment plans for Round Mountain while gathering feedback, and explain the role of prescribed fire in building community resilience.

“We are committed to protecting the rivers that sustain life and community health in California. Through efforts like the Hoyt Purdon project, we are enhancing the resilience of the Yuba River watershed and helping to reduce the risks posed by climate-fueled wildfires,” said Julie Fair, California Headwaters Conservation Program Director at American Rivers. “This partnership ensures that we’re taking meaningful action to protect not only the river but also the people who depend on it.”​

American Rivers has been working across California to protect rivers and restore watersheds by focusing on innovative landscape-scale projects. Their work integrates wildfire mitigation into broader conservation efforts​.

Bill Jacks, Executive Director of Terra Fuego Resource Foundation, highlighted the importance of reintroducing fire as a natural process. “Prescribed fire is an essential tool in managing our fire-prone landscapes. At Terra Fuego, we are dedicated to helping communities embrace fire as a means of achieving long-term safety and ecological health. The Hoyt Purdon project exemplifies how fire, when managed correctly, can reduce hazardous fuels and protect vital watersheds.”​

Terra Fuego’s mission focuses on advancing fire-adapted ecosystems and creating fire-resilient communities through the responsible use of prescribed fire and thinning​.

Chris Friedel, Executive Director of the Yuba Watershed Institute, emphasized the value of collaboration. “The Round Mountain project demonstrates how partnerships between landowners, agencies, and local communities can lead to lasting change. By prioritizing both ecological restoration and wildfire mitigation, we’re ensuring the long-term resilience of our forests and watersheds.”

The Yuba Watershed Institute is deeply rooted in community-based land stewardship, with a focus on preserving biological diversity through active land management​.

Meeting Details:

  • When: October 28, 2024, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
  • Where: Odd Fellows Hall, 212 Spring St, Nevada City
  • Free and open to the public

For more information about these projects and to get involved in wildfire resilience efforts, visit the websites of American Rivers, Terra Fuego, and the Yuba Watershed Institute.